Tag: Courtney Diefel

Arkansas Softball receives power boost from Transfer Portal

Cylie Halvorson brings 40 career home runs with her to Arkansas from South Dakota State.

It appears that Arkansas Softball and head coach [autotag]Courtney Diefel[/autotag] have found the latest “Bogle Bomber” from the transfer portal.

Arkansas Softball announced the signing of [autotag]Cylie Halvorson[/autotag], a transfer from South Dakota State, on Tuesday. Halvorson arrives in Fayetteville with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Halvorson was named Summit League Player of the Year as well as NFCA second-team All-Region in 2021 following a season that saw her bat .352 with 19 home runs with 59 RBI and a slugging percentage of .770. She followed suit in 2022 by crushing 19 more long balls and sending 46 runs across the plate, earning another Summit League First Team honor.

“We are excited to add Cylie to our program,” Deifel said in a press release. “She is a dynamic bat and leader that will be a huge addition to our program. We have had the privilege of competing against Cylie in Bogle Park, and we can say from our experience that she will keep our fans on the Berm very busy.”

Halvorson was a part of the 2021 South Dakota State team that competed in the Fayetteville Regional, where she recorded a hit in all three games. Halvorson says that she knew that Arkansas was a special place after playing in the postseason at Bogle Park.

“From the people to the facilities, Arkansas is a place for champions,” Halvorson said. “I’m going to be in a setting where I’m surrounded by great people who challenge and push me to my full potential every day both on and off the field.”

Halvorson played primarily first base for the Jackrabbits in 2022, a team that finished the season with a 41-13 record and an appearance in the NCAA Regionals. In two seasons at South Dakota State, Halvorson hit for an average of .342 with with 40 home runs, 124 RBI, and a .704 slugging percentage in 406 at-bats.

Halvorson becomes the second transfer to sign with Arkansas this offseason, joining [autotag]Kristina Foreman[/autotag], who announced that she would be transferring to Arkansas after spending four seasons at Duke.

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Arkansas Softball lands slugger from Transfer Portal

Arkansas Softball lands Duke’s leading batter from last season, which will help rebuild a depleted roster heading into 2023.

The leading batter from one of the ACC’s top programs becomes the newest member of the “Bogle Bombers”

Kristina Foreman, a graduate transfer from Duke, has committed to Arkansas the program announced Saturday.

“She is a proven competitor that has performed and produced at an elite level through her time at Duke,” says head coach [autotag]Courtney Diefel[/autotag] in a press release. “She brings a great deal of experience and power to our already dynamic lineup. On top of that, she is an incredibly impressive student and leader, and there is no doubt she will make an immediate impact on our program.”

Foreman will look to build on the Razorbacks program record in 2022, where they hit 109 home runs. They have lost most of that production due to graduation, however. Power bats such as [autotag]Danielle Gibson[/autotag], [autotag]Linnie Malkin[/autotag], [autotag]Hannah McEwen[/autotag], [autotag]Taylor Ellsworth[/autotag], and [autotag]KB Sides[/autotag] have since left the program. However, Foreman will fit in with those returning, such as [autotag]Hannah Gammill[/autotag] and[autotag] Kacie Hoffman[/autotag].

Foreman led the Blue Devils in average (.368) and RBI (56) in 48 starts primarily at second base. She earned a spot on the ACC Tournament team, as well as second-team All-ACC honors. She was a part of the first team in program history to earn a trip to the NCAA Super Regionals in 2022.’

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Five Razorbacks earn All-American Honors, tied for national lead

Even though the season is over, Arkansas Softball is still finding ways to break records.

The season may be over, but the best season in Arkansas Softball history keeps getting better.

Prior to the opening game of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association released their All-Americans from the 2022 season on Wednesday, with five players from Arkansas making the list.

With five selections, Arkansas ties Oklahoma for the most athletes to be named All-American.

First baseman [autotag]Danielle Gibson[/autotag], third baseman [autotag]Hannah Gammill[/autotag], center fielder [autotag]KB Sides[/autotag], and utility player [autotag]Linnie Malkin[/autotag] grabbed first-team honors, while pitcher [autotag]Chenise Delce[/autotag] was named second-team All-American.

Gibson earned her second All-American honor after a record-breaking season. During her senior season, Gibson set school records in batting average (.445), hits (81), RBI (70), and total bases (155).

Sides’ lone season in Fayetteville was memorable, as she hit 13 home runs for the Razorbacks. In three seasons at Alabama prior to making the move to Arkansas, she hit three total home runs. Other career-bests for Sides include hits (70), total bases (121), doubles (12), triples (3), RBI (42), stolen bases (28), and walks (45).

Malkin lead the team in home runs with 22. During the meeting with Ole Miss during the SEC Tournament, Malkin became the program’s all-time leader in home runs with 48. According to the press release from Arkansas athletics, Malkin sits at second in the SEC in slugging percentage (.870) and RBI (68).

The final member of the first-team is Hannah Gammill. Gammill was 4th on the team in average with .374, and in RBI with 49. She was also one of five Razorbacks to reach double-digits in home runs. She led the team in on-base percentage with .513, which is fifth-highest in program history.

Chenise Delce, a transfer from Tulsa, was the anchor to Arkansas’ pitching staff. Delce posted a 19-3 record with a 2.12 ERA, 188 strikeouts, and 35 walks in 151.2 innings pitched.

According to the press release from Arkansas athletics, prior to the five selections from this year’s team, only five prior Razorbacks had been named All-Americans: [autotag]Braxton Burnside[/autotag] (2021, First Team), [autotag]Mary Haff[/autotag] (2021, First Team), Danielle Gibson (2021, Second Team), [autotag]Autumn Storms[/autotag] (2019, Second Team) and [autotag]Miranda Dixon[/autotag] (2010, Third Team).

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Rivalry rekindled: Arkansas Softball set to host Texas for a spot in the WCWS

A rivalry series for a shot at the Women’s College World Series? Count us in.

The rivalry between two former Southwest Conference foes begins a new chapter on Thursday, that in the form of softball.

The Arkansas Razorbacks, winner of the Fayetteville Regional, is set to host the winner of the Seattle Regional, Texas, in the Super Regionals this weekend at Bogle Park for a shot to compete in the Women’s College World Series.

The Razorbacks defeated Oregon on Sunday, 9-3 to close a perfect 3-0 weekend in their home-standing regional led by a four home run game from the likes of Danielle Gibson, Kacie Hoffman, Linnie Malkin, and KB Sides. Despite there being four home runs hit, the leader at the plate was [autotag]Rylin Hedgecock[/autotag], as she hit a three-RBI double in the 6th inning, an inning where the Razorbacks scored six runs to put the game away.

For Texas, they were one of five teams to win their regional despite not hosting. Competing in the Seattle Regional hosted by Washington, Texas defeated the Huskies twice over the weekend to advance to the Super Regionals. After defeating Washington 8-2 on Saturday, the Longhorns fell to the Huskies, 2-1 to set up a winner-take-all game seven.

In the final game of the weekend, the score was deadlocked at 0-0 until the 5th inning when Bella Dayton doubled down the left field line to score two runs, giving Texas the 2-0 lead. The Longhorn’s final blow came when Jenae Jefferson hit a solo home run in the top of the 7th to extend the lead to 3-0. That home run really came at a great time, as the Huskies scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning to trim Texas’ lead to 3-2, but ultimately ran out of outs and taking the defeat.

The Razorbacks and Longhorns begin their three-game set on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. CDT at Bogle Park. The game will be televised on ESPN 2.

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Arkansas sweeps SEC Softball Awards

The SEC Coach, Player, and Pitcher of the Year all reside in Fayetteville, as well as six first-team all-SEC selections.

The regular-season Southeastern Conference softball champions were well represented on the league’s season softball awards list.

The coach, player, and pitcher of the year in the SEC all reside in Fayetteville, as well as six first-team all-SEC members, the league announced Friday.

Head Coach [autotag]Courtney Diefel[/autotag] takes home SEC Coach of the Year, while transfers [autotag]Chenise Delce[/autotag] and [autotag]KB Sides[/autotag] win SEC Pitcher and Player of the Year respectively. Six players were named all-SEC, with a seventh player named to the second team. Two athletes were also named to the all-defensive team as well.

It has been a season to remember for Arkansas, who won their second straight SEC regular-season crown, their first outright championship. The Razorbacks won all eight SEC series on the season, and finished the regular season with a 41-9 record.

Arkansas Softball inks NIL deal unlike any before

A local car dealership is partnering with Arkansas Softball in an effort to shed more light on women’s collegiate athletics.

One local car dealership is dedicated to shedding more light on women’s collegiate athletics in a way that has never been done before.

Everett Buick GMC in Bryant, Ark. is partnering with Arkansas Softball to provide a Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) opportunity to all softball players in an effort to increase the visibility of women’s sports through Buick’s “See Her Greatness” campaign. Pig Trail Nation was the first to report the story.

“Female athletes make up 40 percent of total athletes in the NCAA, but they get less than 10 percent of the media coverage,” says Susie Everett of Everett Buick GMC. “We are committed to doing something to help these women by partnering with each Division I softball athlete at the University of Arkansas.”

Head coach [autotag]Courtney Diefe[/autotag]l says that she is appreciative of Everett Buick GMC’s generosity and advocacy towards promoting women’s athletics.

According to Buick’s website, the “See Her Greatness” movement’s mission is to help increase women’s visibility in sports by encouraging viewership, supporting initiatives that drive equity, and creating platforms for women to have meaningful conversations about the issues that face them.

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WATCH: Arkansas Softball commit hits a mammoth home run

It appears that the “Bogle Bombers” legacy will continue for years to come.

It appears that Arkansas softball will “reload” instead of “rebuild” once the elder “Bogle Bombers” hang up their cleats at the end of their collegiate careers.

[autotag]Kennedy Miller[/autotag], an Arkansas Softball pledge for the Class of 2023 from Georgetown High School in Georgetown, Texas, showcased her power in a 9-6 win over Liberty Hill on Tuesday night by smacking a home run over the scoreboard in left field.

Miller committed to Arkansas early in her 11th grade year, announcing her intentions to play for head coach [autotag]Courtney Diefel[/autotag] and the Razorbacks in September of 2021.

According to her recruiting page on SportsRecruits.com, Miller can play first base, third base, and catcher. Her current stats are not available at the time of this post.

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